Apparatus for loose feeding of electrical components

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for receiving a plurality of loose electrical components comprises a receiver having at least one end for receiving and holding the loose components. A conveyor is provided proximate the one end of the receiver for conveying the components one by one from the receiver to provide an output flow. The conveyor means includes a generally continuous arcuate conveyor member having an axis extending generally parallel to the one end of the receiver, the conveyor member being rotatable about the axis and being axially separate into two grooved axial end sections, with one grooved axial center section therebetween. The center section is adjustable with respect to the two end sections to permit registry of center section grooves with the end section grooves. The center section grooves are of different sizes with the number of center section grooves of each size corresponding to the number of end section grooves. The center section grooves are arranged so that when one center section groove of a particular size is in registry with one pair of end section grooves, all of the remaining center section grooves of the same size are in registry with the remaining end section grooves. The center section grooves are sized to receive the component bodies. The conveyor member is rotated about the axis at a predetermined rate to provide the desired output flow of components.

This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 645,944, filed Aug. 30, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,501, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 522,064 filed Aug. 10, 1983, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an apparatus for cutting and forming leads, and more specifically to an apparatus of the character for finishing the leads of electronic parts consisting of an element or part body in the center and two leads connected to or leading out from the both ends along the axis thereof, such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, plated-wire memories and other axial parts.

Conventionally, the leads of those devices are trimmed and bent or otherwise formed to suit the intended uses manually with cutting pliers or radio pincers. The parts to be handled with such machine shop tools usually are small in size and use leads of copper or other soft metal wires having good electrical properties. The leads are therefore often undesirably bent, twisted or otherwise distorted while being worked to shape. The distorted wires will render their subsequent insertion in the holes of printed circuit boards difficult.

When working with tools, the workers' hands frequently come in direct contact with the parts, rusting their leads and causing failure at the time of soldering, thus giving many defective products. In addition, the routine practice makes simultaneous cutting and forming of leads impossible.

The present invention is aimed at providing an apparatus capable of overcoming the aforementioned difficulties of the prior art and performing both cutting and forming of electronic part leads automatically and simultaneously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a sequence of steps for forming the leads of an electronic part;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating the relations between a hopper and feed wheels;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bender;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cutting blade;

FIG. 7 shows a modified form of hopper;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the bender and one of the feed wheels;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view of an arrangement bending a work to a desired form;

FIG. 10 shows an arrangement for conveying electronic parts;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line E--E of FIG. 10 to show the flow pattern of electronic parts around each feed wheel and the associated components;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a tape-guide mechanism;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a modified form of the hopper;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line 14--14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along line 15--15 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along line 16--16 of FIG. 14; and

FIG. 17 is an enlarged perspective view of a modified form of the conveyor belt.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, which shows an embodiment of the invention in perspective, the numeral 1 designates main body of the apparatus, which carries a hopper 2 on one side and has a main switch 3, a drive switch 4, and a counter 5, all exposed partly on the front face.

The hopper 2 generally consists of a receiver 6, a belt conveyor 7 for carrying electronic parts 14 to a feeder A, a pair of covers 8 the distance between which is adjustable, and a pair of guides 9 located at the front end of the conveyor 7.

The receiver 6 is provided with a channel 12 of a predetermined width in the center and is surrounded on both sides and the rear end with side and rear wall plates 13. The channel 12 has a width less than the overall length of each electronic part 14, with its leads inclusive, but larger than at least the length of the element or part body 10 itself.

At the front end of the receiver 6 are formed aprons 15 which are shaped to receive the leads at both ends of the part bodies 10. The aprons 15 thus serve to transfer the electronic parts 14 from the receiver 6 to the belt conveyor 7.

The belt conveyor 7 is slightly narrower than the channel 12 and located at one end adjacent to the front end 16 of the channel and at the opposite end close to a feed wheel 38 of a feeder A. The conveyor 7, made of rubber, urethane, soft synthetic resin, or other flexible material, has a number of grooves 17 formed at a given pitch and at right angles to the direction in which the conveyor moves, each of the grooves being at least wide enough to receive an electronic part body loosely.

This conveyor is driven in the direction of the arrow by a driving belt wheel 18 and a driven wheel 19. The latter wheel 19 is revolvably mounted on a shaft secured to a pair of plates 20 which, in turn, are attached to the outer sides of the side plates 13. The driving belt wheel 18 is revolvably mounted on a shaft 22 likewise secured to the plates 20.

One one end of the shaft 22 is mounted a pulley 23, which is driven, via an endless belt 24, by another pulley 26 fixed to a countershaft 25 which, in turn, is journaled in the main body 1 of the apparatus. The countershaft 25 is driven by a motor 27 through a pulley 29 mounted on its main shaft 28 and through an endless belt 31 extended around the pulley 29 and another pulley 30 on the countershaft 25.

The pair of covers 8, disposed in parallel and closely above the both edges of the belt conveyor 7, are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the length of the part bodies 10 to be handled. The covers have a length about the same as the working stretch of the belt conveyor and are curved at both ends in conformity with the conveyor contours at both ends of its carrying run. Inner edges of the covers 8 have straight portions 34 opposed to each other and have obliquely cut guide portions 35 facing the receiver 6 to receive and guide the part bodies 10.

Bolts 36 are inserted through holes formed at about midpoints of the covers 8 and thence through lateral slots 33 formed in a cross plate 32. With butterfly nuts 37 tightened on the bolts, the distance between the covers can be adjusted as desired.

Guides 9, which transfer the electronic parts 14 by their leads 11 from the belt conveyor 7 to a feed wheel 38 of the feeder A, are disposed in close proximity to the belt wheel 19. Each guide 9 is pivotally supported by a shaft 21 so that its lower portion 9a is turnable. On the front end of the guide is formed an apron 39 extended beyond the front end of the belt conveyor 7 to receive the leads of each electronic part 14 from the conveyor.

The main body 1 comprises, in addition to the feeder A for electronic parts, a cutter B for leads 11 and a former C.

The feeder A is composed of the above-mentioned pair of feed wheels 38 and a pair of outer feed wheels 40 mounted, respectively, on the outer sides of the wheels 38. The feed wheels 38 are fixedly mounted on about the middle of the countershaft 25, spaced apart a distance somewhat more than the length of each element or part body 10, by setscrews 48 in such a manner that the distance is adjustable whenever desired.

Outside the feed wheels 38, there are disposed the pair of outer feed wheels 40, respectively, at a distance from the inner wheel equivalent to the desired length of each lead of the electronic part, or at the point beyond which the excess wire is to be cut off. The outer wheels 40 are secured, together with the wheels 38, to the countershaft 25 by setscrews 48 so that their distances are adjustable.

The pairs of feed wheels 38, 40 are of the same diameter and are arranged to run synchronously. They have teeth 41 formed at a given pitch on their peripheries. The teeth 41 are so shaped as to take up the leads 11 connected to each electronic part body 10 from the part-receiving apron 39, hold them until benders of the former C complete forming the leads, and then release the formed leads.

The cutter B and the former C are arranged adjacent to the feeder A. The cutter B comprises a pair of guide holders 46 and a pair of cutting blades 44 contiguous to the inner sides of the holders 46. The holders 46 are located generally in alignment with the outer feed wheels 40. They have, on their sides facing the feeder A, arcuate grooves 47 of a curvature generally conforming to the outside diameter of the outer feed wheels 40, and are arranged to engaged the wheels. Instead of a one-piece structure, each guide holder 46 may consist of a plate having an arcuate groove of a curvature generally conforming to the peripheral geometry of the associated feed wheel 40 and a larger plate superposed with the first plate.

Inside the pair of guide holders 46, the cutting blades 44 are installed with their edges 44a extended beyond the dedendum circles of the mating outer feed wheels 40. The cutting blades 44 may be of circular edges which can perform a 360-deg. cutting operation. The guide holders 46 are fixedly mounted on a shaft 43 by setscrews 48.

The former C comprises a pair of bender holders 45 similar in construction to the guide holders 46 and a pair of benders 42. The bender holders 45 in a pair are located in alignment with the feed wheels 38, and the benders are disposed on the outer sides of the holders 45.

Each bender 42 has an extension 50, to which a leaf spring 51 of a predetermined rigidity is fixed at one end. This leaf spring 51 is desirably bent slightly inward at the free end to force down part of each incoming lead 11 to produce a nearly right-angled bend. Each spring 51 is at least wide enough, and is so located as to cover the periphery of the associated feed wheel 38, from its dedendum circle 49 to the tooth top. At the outer end of the extension 50 is formed a protuberance 52 to guide the feed wheel 38.

Although the leaf springs 51 are shown fastened to the benders 42 by machine screws 53, they may be secured in place by riveting instead. Also, while the cutter B and the former C are shown mounted on the common shaft 43, either unit alone may be used there for exclusive cutting or forming service.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modified form of the hopper 2, which straightens rather crooked or otherwise distorted leads 11 between the portions 7a of the belt conveyor in the carrying run and the covers 8 thereon. For the straightening purpose a pressure plate 53 is held in close contact with the underside of the conveyor portion 7a in the carrying run so as to press the conveyor against the covers 8.

FIG. 12 shows a mechanism for guiding a tape-connected row of electronic parts. The mechanism comprises a pair of tape guides 54 of a predetermined length, which are supported by a shaft 55 in such a manner that their distance is adjustable in conformity with the distance between the tapes 56. Each tape guide 54 has a flared inlet 57 to receive the tape 56 and also has a guide slot 58 extended to the point where it overlaps the associated feed wheel 38.

On top of one tape guide 54 is mounted a light-emitting diode 59, and a phototransistor 60 is secured to the underside of the guide in such relative position that they coact to detect the passage of leads therebetween and allow the counter 5 on the front of the main body 1 to display the count.

In the apparatus of the invention constructed as above, the covers 8 in a pair are located so that their straight portions 34 in parallel are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of each electronic part body 10, and the pair of feed wheels 38 are disposed apart the same distance as the straight portions 34. The pair of outer feed wheels 40 are mounted in position where leads 11 are to be trimmed by cutting.

The operation of the apparatus according to the invention will now be explained.

Electronic parts 14 are first led to the hopper, with the part bodies 10 supported in the channel 12 of the receiver 6 and their leads 11 on the rest of the receiver, and allowed to fall onto the apron 15 and thence in the grooves 17 of the moving belt conveyor 7. Each part 14, with its body 10 carried between the guide portions 35 and the straight portions 34, approaches the aprons 15 and fall thereon under its own weight, so that its leads 11 are received by the aprons 15. The leads are then taken up by the teeth of the inner feed wheels 38 and also by the outer feed wheels 40 so that the part body 10 is held between the leads. In this way the electronic part is conveyed from the feeder A to the cutter B. Upon arrival at the latter, the leads 11 are trimmed by the cutting edges 44a to predetermined lengths, and the part is farther carried by the feed wheels 38 to the former C.

In the former C the leads 11 are bent by the leaf springs 51 to a desired shape, and then the electronic part 14 falls by gravity.

Turning to the sequential views of FIG. 2, the part is shown in the state before cutting (D), after cutting (E), and after forming (E).

Where either lead 11 of the part is to be longer than the other, it is only necessary to shift the position of the associated outer feed wheel 40 from the center of the part body 10 by the distance equal to the length to be added and shift accordingly the guide holder 46 engaged with the particular wheel.

Also, if either lead of the part is to have a larger shoulder than the other upon forming, the end is attained by shifting the associated feed wheel 38 and outer feed wheel 40 and correspondingly shift the positions of the associated bender holder 45 and guide holder 46.

FIGS. 13-16 show another modified form of the hopper 2 of the present invention. As best shown in FIG. 13, the hopper 2 includes a generally rectangular receiver 6 and an endless belt conveyor 7 which are substantially the same as those of the previously described embodiments. The hopper 2 also includes a pair of cover members 8 overlying portions of the belt conveyor 7. As with the previously described covers 8, the cover members 8 of the present embodiment are laterally moveable to permit adjustment of the open space between the two cover members 8 depending upon the length of the body portion of the components being processed.

As best seen in FIGS. 14 and 15, each of the cover members 8 is secured to an underlying block-like supporting member 8a by suitable attachment means, such as a pair of screws or rivets 8b. Each of the supporting members 8a has a generally circular opening extending laterally through the center thereof (best shown in FIG. 15). Each of the supporting blocks 8a is supported by a generally cylindrical shaft member 8c which extends through the respective supporting member openings. The shaft member 8c, which extends through the belt conveyor 7, is generally horizontally oriented and is releasably secured to the apparatus sidewalls or plates 20 in a manner which will hereinafter be described.

As shown in FIG. 15, knurled screw members 8d pass through appropriately sized openings in the cover members 8 and threadingly engage similarly threaded openings extending through the supporting members 8a. When the screw members 8a are tightened, the ends of the screw membes 8d engage the shaft member 8c to hold the supporting members 8a and the cover members 8 in place on the shaft member 8c. By loosening the knurled screw members 8d, the supporting members 8a are slideable laterally along the supporting shaft member 8c for adjusting the lateral position of the attached cover members 8. In this manner, the two cover members 8 may be adjusted with respect to each other to establish a desired spacing therebetween, depending upon the size of the components being processed by the apparatus. Once the spacing is established, the screw members 8d may be tightened against the shaft member 8c to lock the cover members 8 in place.

In addition to being laterally adjustable with respect to each other, the cover members 8 are adjustable vertically with respect to the belt conveyor 7 in order to vary the spacing between the underside of the cover members 8 and the belt conveyor 7. Such vertical adjustment is accomplished by vertical adjustment of the supporting shaft member 8c. The shaft member 8c is secured to the plates 20 at each axial end by a knurled screw member 20a. The knurled screw members 20a pass through slotted openings 20b within the plates 20 and threadingly engage the axial ends of the shaft member 8c. By loosening each of the knurled screw members 20a, the shaft member 8c may be moved upwardly or downwardly to set the cover members 8 to a desired height above the belt conveyor 7. The screw members 20a may then be tightened to hold the supporting shaft member 8c at the desired height.

By adjusting the height of the cover members 8, the hopper 2 is able to accommodate components of varying thicknesses. In this manner, the hopper 2 can accommodate thicker sized components without the leads of the components getting caught up between the belt conveyor 7 and the underside of the cover members 8.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, each of the cover members 8 further includes a clip member 8e on its upper surface. The clip members 8e function to catch and remove components which are not properly seated within the grooves 17 of the belt conveyor 7, particularly components with leads which are skewed or otherwise not properly oriented beneath the cover members 8. The clip members 8e conveniently catch such components and remove them from the belt conveyor 7 for recycling back to the receiver 6.

Referring now to FIG. 17, there is shown a further modified form of of the belt conveyor of the apparatus which provides for the processing of components which differ in body size. The belt conveyor shown in FIG. 17 is comprised of three individual endless belts 7a, 7b and 7c which rotate together by means of a common drive roller or wheel 19. The combined width of the three belts 7a, 7b and 7c is substantially the same as that of the belt conveyor 7 of the above-described embodiments. However, the component receiving grooves which extend across the three belts 7a, 7b and 7c are different from that of the above-described belt conveyors.

The two outer belts 7b and 7c include a plurality of spaced grooves 17 which are substantially the same depth and thickness as the grooves 17 of the above-described belt conveyors 7. The center belt 7a has a similar plurality of spaced sets of differing sized grooves 17a, 17b and 17c. In the present embodiment there are three different sized grooves shown, it being understood that a lesser or greater number of such grooves could be provided.

The width of one of the grooves 17a is substantially the same as that of the grooves 17 in the outer two belts 7b and 7c. The other two grooves 17b and 17c are wider than groove 17a to accommodate components having larger body sizes. For example, groove 17a may be sized to accommodate a standard one-eighth watt resistor, while groove 17b may be sized to accommodate a standard one-quarter watt resistor and groove 17c may be sized to accommodate a standard one-half watt resistor. The grooves 17 of the outer two belts 7b and 7c are sized to accommodate the lead portion of any size component.

The apparatus also includes means (not shown) for loosening the tension on the conveyor belts 7a, 7b and 7c to permit the alignment of the belts to be adjusted. As shown in FIG. 17, the three belts 7a, 7b and 7c have been aligned so that the grooves 17 of the outer two belts 7b and 7c are in registry with each other and with the smallest groove 17a of the center belt 7a. When the three belts, 7a, 7b and 7c are aligned in this manner, the apparatus is tailored to accommodate smaller components, such as standard one-eighth watt resistors, the body of the component fitting into the groove 17a of the center belt 7a and the leads of the component fitting into the grooves 17 on the two outer belts 7b and 7c. The wider grooves 17b and 17c of the inner belt are not aligned with any grooves 17 of the outer belts 7b and 7c so that no components will be picked up within these wider grooves 17b and 17c.

The apparatus may be adjusted to process larger components by merely loosening the tension of the belts and aligning the belts so that the grooves 17 of the outer two belts 7b and 7c are in registry with each other and with the central portion of the desired groove 17b or 17c of the center belt 7a. The spacing between the sets of grooves 17a, 17b and 17c of the center belt is such that when the grooves 17 of the outer two belts are properly aligned with any one of the grooves 17a, 17b or 17c of the center belt 7a, the corresponding grooves 17 of the outer belts 7b and 7c are also in registry with all of the other grooves of the same size along the remainder of the center belt 7a.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the previously described split belt arrangement could be employed in connection with any of the above-discussed embodiments and forms of the apparatus. The use of the split belt arrangement provides greater flexibility with regard to the use of the apparatus with different sized components.

As described above, the present invention renders it possible to trim and bend the leads of electronic parts in simultaneous cutting and forming operations for mass production.

Undesirably bent or distorted leads can be properly straightened as they are carried by the belt conveyor up to the receiving aprons. The midpoints of the electronic part bodies in a row are aligned as desired while the parts are carried along the guide and straight portions of the covers to the feeder A.

The electronic parts, originally instable on a plane, are supported by at least two points, and their leads can be cut and formed to desired contours in a stable manner.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concepts thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but is intended to cover any modifications which are within the scope and spirit of the invention defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for receiving a plurality of loose electrical components, each having a body and leads extending outwardly therefrom, and for providing an output flow of generally parallel components spaced a predetermined distance apart, the apparatus comprising:a receiver having at least one end for receiving and holding the loose components; conveyor means proximate the one end of the receiver for conveying the components one by one from the receiver to provide the output flow, the conveyor means including a generally continuous arcuate conveyor member having an axis extending generally parallel to the one end of the receiver, the conveyor member being rotatable about the axis and being axially separated into two axial end sections and an axial center section therebetween, the axial end sections including a plurality of generally parallel, circumferentially spaced apart grooves extending generally axially along the surface thereof, the end section grooves being in registry and being sized to receive component leads, the axial center section having a plurality of generally parallel circumferentially spaced grooves extending generally axially along the surface thereof, the center section being adjustable with respect to the two end sections to permit registry of center section grooves with the end section grooves, the center section grooves being of different sizes, with the number of center section grooves of each size corresponding to the number of end section grooves, the center section grooves being arranged so that when one center section groove of a particular size is in registry with one pair of end section grooves, all of the remaining center section grooves of the same size are in registry with the remaining end section grooves, the center section grooves being sized to receive component bodies; and means for rotating the conveyor member about the axis at a predetermined rate to provide the output flow of components.
 2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the end section grooves are spaced apart by the predetermined distance.
 3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the center section includes grooves of at least two different sizes arranged in a sequential pattern repeated along the surface thereof, all of the center section grooves of each of the different sizes being spaced apart by a predetermined distance. 